Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Lessons Learnt

Dudes, and dudettes, it’s been a year since I left the States and came back home to Kenya….and in the spirit of everything that the Lord has done in my life, I thought I would testify of His goodness in my life……..

1). Many are the seasons of life, but God controls every season…

In the 1 year since coming back, I can look back and see the various seasons I have gone through, seasons of lack, and seasons of abundance, times in which I have missed the mark, and the times that I have been on point, times when I have succeeded triumphantly and times when I have fallen miserably….But in all things, the Lord has been faithful and for that I give Him praise….He has taught me to consider not the seasons, but to love Him, for He directs the seasons…..

He has shown me that “The sun shall be no more my light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto me; but the Lord shall be unto me an everlasting light, and my God, my Glory” Isaiah 60:19

I now look to Him to be faithful to His word, credit crunch or not, bad leadership or not, poor stewardship or not”……I am fully persuaded that He is not only able, but willing to turn my night to day, to establish me in high places, and to set my feet on solid ground….and that whether the sun or moon is shining, I need not walk in darkness, for He is the light of the world……

2). Even while my land was barren, my cup suffered lack and mine enemies were encompassed about me, He was there….

In the one year or so, my life was turned upside down…..with many afflictions, many challenges, many opportunities for strife and many things that shook my faith and tested me to the uttermost…..Mine enemies were encompassed about me, those who desired my hurt talked about me and laughed at me day and night……While things worked, and even while they didn’t they still talked, gossiped, cheered and bore false witness against me…..many were my fellow brethren in the Lord, many were those I considered my closest allies……

However, the Lord was my redeemer and my saving strength….He’s shown up in the midst of it all, and brought my scorners to shame….He has silenced the tongues that rose up against me, and has set my feet on solid ground……

“The Lord was my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him; and he helped me; therefore my heart greatly rejoiced and with my song will I praise him” Psalms 28:7

Now, I am confident in his ability to save, and that even when I am all alone, and when my last play is to stand in His word, I can do so confidently…..Because He is faithful to that word…..And that I need to seek His face and His honor more than I seek the honor of man……

 3). Even though I sinned and fell short severally, and felt like there was no hope in sight, the Lord forgave me, restored me, cleansed me and picked me up……

Over the year or so, and before, I found myself falling short, wavering in His promises, being unyielding and unsubmissive to Him….

But through it all, the Lord was merciful and compassionate….He did not rebuke me in His wrath, neither did He chasten me in his hot displeasure….

He did not deal with me according to the multitude of my iniquity, but instead forgave and restored me from my sin and shame…..

Truly, “though I fell, I was not utterly cash down; for the Lord upheld me with his hand” Psalms 37:24

Now I know that it is He who has sustained me, and that His strength is more than sufficiently to keep me from iniquity and to perfect the good work that He has started in me…..And that if I remain in His presence, He will show me the path of life….for in His presence is fullness of joy and that at His right hand are pleasures forever more…..

4). My heart and my flesh failed, with all that life threw at me, at the business, at my career, it was almost too much, I was almost going under…..

As life was throwing all it could at me, things looked bleak and without hope….My heart sank at the thought of never making it, my business and my career showed signs of not making it and my heart was filled with such despair……

My mind puzzled at what would happen, but as I stayed my mind on Him and trusted in Him, He kept me in perfect peace…..

Psalms 40:1-3

“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry” v. 1

“He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings” v. 2

“And He put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto my God; many will see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord” v. 3

I start a new and exciting career this week, in a season when others are being laid off….
My business plans are taking shape, and He is connecting me with like-minded folks who can help me get to the next level…..
5). He has restored my faith, increased my thirst for His word, and my understanding of the same, so that I need not be confused or ashamed, but that I walk in Him and remain His light…..

The many cares of the world had come in to choke the word of God out of my life….The pressures of keeping up with the Jones’ and trying to compete nearly had me go off the deep end…..

But in the nick of time, the Lord showed up….

Psalms 51:10-13

“He created in me a clean heart, and renewed a right spirit with me” v. 10

“He cast me not away from His presence, and took not His holy spirit from me” v. 11

“He restored unto me, the joy of His salvation; and upheld me with his free spirit” v. 12

And because I did all that for me, and more, I have purposed:

“To teach the transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee” v. 13

So help me God!

My prayer is that as you read this blog, something herein challenges you to look at your life, and purpose to live rightly before Him……yes, you may stumble, and you may fall, but I encourage you to not give up……don’t stop striving to be changed, to be made new, or to be blameless before Him……may that which I write up challenge you to live and grow closer to Him that loves you more than anyone can……….

May this blog help you to get closer to a God who can do that which no one else can…..

Who is this Jesus?

I know….you must be like what?? Let me explain……

From time immemorial, this has been a question in people’s minds and hearts….Right from His early ministry, the Jews, Pharisees, Sadducees, Rulers, and ordinary folk kept trying to figure Jesus out…..

Some said he was the carpenter’s son….

Some said he was a heretic, and that He had a demon

Some called Him a prophet

Some questioned His authority

Some wondered whether anything good could have come from His home town

Some called Him the Son of God

Many many questions all about Jesus and who He was……And guess what? That hasn’t changed today…..There are still a number of questions about who Jesus is…..Infact, that crucial issue separates many of the major religions and folks still ask it today….Who is Jesus?

I firmly believe that this is a question that will continue to be critical to the men, and if Jesus tarries and I join my ancestors, many after will continue to ponder…..

To me, Jesus is my everything, my all, my shepherd, my light, my vine, my lover, my redeemer, my saviour, my friend, my Lord, my God, the Son of God, the King of Kings, and the one whose name is above all names…..

At whose name, demons flee, diseases are cured, the blind see, the deaf hear, the dumb speak, the righteous rejoice, the crooked becomes straight, the rough places become plain, the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our God, the humble are exalted, the proud are humbled, my situations change, my problems become fixed and my path is illuminated…..And at His name, all knees will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord……

He was born of Virgin Mary into a world laden with sin, but was crucified for me, and shed His blood to cover my iniquity……He rose again on the 3rd day with power, and now sits at the right Hand of God….He is the Christ, the son of the living God, and my high advocate….He makes intercession on my behalf to the Father and He offered Himself for me on Calvary that I may be a joint heir in Him and be set free……..

Free from worry, free from sin, free from confusion, free from lack, free from despair, free from pestilence, free from doubt and free from disappointment…For if I put my trust in Him, I will not be put to shame…..

He’s the one I ran to when I’m in trouble, the one I praise when things are going well…..He’s the one who raises the dead things in my life, opens the doors whose handle I cant reach, and shuts the gates of the places I need not go! He loves and surrounds me, encompasses me with His brilliance and protects me from hurt, harm and danger……

I could go on, and on and on, and indeed, I have…..This blog is dedicated to honoring the reason for my being, the delight of my heart, the shepherd of my soul and the lover of my life….

I would be remised if I did not say that the very same Jesus is standing at the door of your heart, knocking, asking that you let Him in….and if you do, He will come and sup with you…..

Jesus said that He was the way, the truth and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him…..He is the resurrection and the life…..The word says that if you believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, and you confess with your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved…….

My prayer for those of you who don’t know Him, is to ask Him to make Himself known to you…..in a deep, personal and intimate way…..He knows you, He made you, He loves you and wants to come back for you…..But a few men saw Him leave last time He was here, but when He comes back, He’ll be publicly seen…..He won’t be that lowly carpenter’s son, but will be coming clothed in righteousness, with the armies of God to exercise judgment…….He’ll be coming for His bride, that’s you and me…..whom He called, chose and those who have been faithful to Him…….

Get to know the Jesus who walked on water, who fed 9000+ people with a small, fixed ration, who turned water to wine, who healed lepers, fixed defective eyes, who cast out demons, who rose the dead, who is our God and who is like none other……I don’t know if you believe in something….in someone, but I encourage you to seek Him with all of your heart……

Listen, no man can do it for you, and if there’s something that you need done that no one can do, take it to Him who is limited by nothing…..I dunno what that thing is, but my prayer is that you take it to the one who can sort it out for you….If He has been faithful in keeping His word to me, I betcha that He can do the same for you……

He wants to have a deep personal relationship with you, and promises that if you seek Him with all of your heart, you will find Him….so seek……I don’t know what you have tried, who has let you down, what life has thrown your way, but I do know that nothing can separate you from the love that God has for you in Christ Jesus if you come to Him as you are…….

You don’t have to be perfect….I am not, by any standards…..I am but a man with many flaws, speaking about a flawless God with a flawless plan for your life……I’m not a preacher man, neither do I have anything to gain by you coming to Him, but your best interest at heart…..On behalf of all of those who’ve hurt you and made you feel unworthy of a God whose love is perfect, I apologize, and ask that you give the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob a chance….

Let Him in and watch Him do something so amazing, so revolutionary, so incredible in your life that it will make you shiver and quake…..Give Him leeway and watch Him do the impossible….watch Him calm your storms, give you peace unsurpassing, joy unspeakable and life everlasting…..

Do you already know who Jesus is? If so, continue to abide in His love…..Now that you know who He is, love Him, get to know about Him, grow in Him, love others like He has loved you, take not His sacrifice on the cross for granted, pray for others, do all that you can to be a witness of Christ in your generation and pray for the church, that we may not disappoint Him when He returns for us……

May He find His body ready to receive Him and may we worship Him together in spirit and in truth…..

I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but I know that tomorrow is in His hands…..my prayer for myself and for you is that with every passing day, with every moment, with every second, we realize that the same is a gift from God….and that with each day, we spend it advancing His kingdom…..that He finds us well prepared, well fashioned and acceptable……

That He embraces us keenly to His side and welcomes us into His kingdom joyously…

Blessed be the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world……

Who is this Jesus?

I know….you must be like what?? Let me explain……

 From time immemorial, this has been a question in people’s minds and hearts….Right from His early ministry, the Jews, Pharisees, Sadducees, Rulers, and ordinary folk kept trying to figure Jesus out…..

 Some said he was the carpenter’s son….

Some said he was a heretic, and that He had a demon

Some called Him a prophet

Some questioned His authority

Some wondered whether anything good could have come from His home town

Some called Him the Son of God

 Many many questions all about Jesus and who He was……And guess what? That hasn’t changed today…..There are still a number of questions about who Jesus is…..Infact, that crucial issue separates many of the major religions and folks still ask it today….Who is Jesus?

 I firmly believe that this is a question that will continue to be critical to the men, and if Jesus tarries and I join my ancestors, many after will continue to ponder…..

 To me, Jesus is my everything, my all, my shepherd, my light, my vine, my lover, my redeemer, my saviour, my friend, my Lord, my God, the Son of God, the King of Kings, and the one whose name is above all names…..

 At whose name, demons flee, diseases are cured, the blind see, the deaf hear, the dumb speak, the righteous rejoice, the crooked becomes straight, the rough places become plain, the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our God, the humble are exalted, the proud are humbled, my situations change, my problems become fixed and my path is illuminated…..And at His name, all knees will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord……

 He was born of Virgin Mary into a world laden with sin, but was crucified for me, and shed His blood to cover my iniquity……He rose again on the 3rd day with power, and now sits at the right Hand of God….He is the Christ, the son of the living God, and my high advocate….He makes intercession on my behalf to the Father and He offered Himself for me on Calvary that I may be a joint heir in Him and be set free……..

 Free from worry, free from sin, free from confusion, free from lack, free from despair, free from pestilence, free from doubt and free from disappointment…For if I put my trust in Him, I will not be put to shame…..

He’s the one I ran to when I’m in trouble, the one I praise when things are going well…..He’s the one who raises the dead things in my life, opens the doors whose handle I cant reach, and shuts the gates of the places I need not go! He loves and surrounds me, encompasses me with His brilliance and protects me from hurt, harm and danger……

I could go on, and on and on, and indeed, I have…..This blog is dedicated to honoring the reason for my being, the delight of my heart, the shepherd of my soul and the lover of my life….

I would be remised if I did not say that the very same Jesus is standing at the door of your heart, knocking, asking that you let Him in….and if you do, He will come and sup with you…..

Jesus said that He was the way, the truth and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him…..He is the resurrection and the life…..The word says that if you believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, and you confess with your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved…….

My prayer for those of you who don’t know Him, is to ask Him to make Himself known to you…..in a deep, personal and intimate way…..He knows you, He made you, He loves you and wants to come back for you…..But a few men saw Him leave last time He was here, but when He comes back, He’ll be publicly seen…..He won’t be that lowly carpenter’s son, but will be coming clothed in righteousness, with the armies of God to exercise judgment…….He’ll be coming for His bride, that’s you and me…..whom He called, chose and those who have been faithful to Him…….

Get to know the Jesus who walked on water, who fed 9000+ people with a small, fixed ration, who turned water to wine, who healed lepers, fixed defective eyes, who cast out demons, who rose the dead, who is our God and who is like none other……I don’t know if you believe in something….in someone, but I encourage you to seek Him with all of your heart……

Listen, no man can do it for you, and if there’s something that you need done that no one can do, take it to Him who is limited by nothing…..I dunno what that thing is, but my prayer is that you take it to the one who can sort it out for you….If He has been faithful in keeping His word to me, I betcha that He can do the same for you……

He wants to have a deep personal relationship with you, and promises that if you seek Him with all of your heart, you will find Him….so seek……I don’t know what you have tried, who has let you down, what life has thrown your way, but I do know that nothing can separate you from the love that God has for you in Christ Jesus if you come to Him as you are…….

You don’t have to be perfect….I am not, by any standards…..I am but a man with many flaws, speaking about a flawless God with a flawless plan for your life……I’m not a preacher man, neither do I have anything to gain by you coming to Him, but your best interest at heart…..On behalf of all of those who’ve hurt you and made you feel unworthy of a God whose love is perfect, I apologize, and ask that you give the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob a chance….

Let Him in and watch Him do something so amazing, so revolutionary, so incredible in your life that it will make you shiver and quake…..Give Him leeway and watch Him do the impossible….watch Him calm your storms, give you peace unsurpassing, joy unspeakable and life everlasting…..

Do you already know who Jesus is? If so, continue to abide in His love…..Now that you know who He is, love Him, get to know about Him, grow in Him, love others like He has loved you, take not His sacrifice on the cross for granted, pray for others, do all that you can to be a witness of Christ in your generation and pray for the church, that we may not disappoint Him when He returns for us……

May He find His body ready to receive Him and may we worship Him together in spirit and in truth…..

I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but I know that tomorrow is in His hands…..my prayer for myself and for you is that with every passing day, with every moment, with every second, we realize that the same is a gift from God….and that with each day, we spend it advancing His kingdom…..that He finds us well prepared, well fashioned and acceptable……

That He embraces us keenly to His side and welcomes us into His kingdom joyously…

Blessed be the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world……